HUNDREDS of students from The Woodroffe School, Sir John Colfox School, and Beaminster School finally ended many weeks of waiting and anticipation as they gathered their GCSE results.

In Lyme Regis, The Woodroffe School saw this year's A* to C pass rate, including English and Maths, fall to 63 per cent, although high performing students did achieve 24 per cent of GCSE entries at A*/A. Girls performed particularly well, claiming the top ten overall results.

Dr. Richard Steward, Headteacher, praised the efforts of the students but was critical of changes to the GCSE system that allowed for an international variant to be added to the curriculum.

“It's a shame that chaos in the system means that some students did not do as well as they were expected to do but performance at Woodroffe is still well above the national average and impressive for a fully comprehensive school,” he added.

Seebra Young, 16, who achieved the highest marks in the school year with 12 A*s and an A grade, was delighted with her results. “I'm obviously very pleased but I still haven't decided what I'm going to do next year.”

Alfie Belworthy, 16, was generally pleased with three A*s, five A's and four B's, as he planned to head to college after the summer to study to become an economist. “I'm a bit fed up but overall happy because I thought I would get a C somewhere,” he said.

In 2013, 82 per cent of students at The Woodroffe School achieved 5 A*-C grades, above the national average and above 80 per cent for the sixth year in a row. The GCSE benchmark figure of five GSCE's (including English and Maths) was 69 per cent.

Sir John Colfox School scored their best ever set of GCSE results. A total of 79 per cent of students achieved 5A* to C grades with 65 per cent of students achieving 5A* to C including English and Maths.

Student Lucie Fry scooped two A* grades, five A grades and one B grade and said she was 'delighted' with her high grades in English Literature and Chemistry, which were unexpected.

Jack Tattershall received the top marks in his physics GCSE for the whole year and also got three A* grades, four A grades and one B grade.

He said: “I'm lost for words. I worked hard for my results but didn't expect this.”

Both students will continue their studies at the combined sixth form college of Sir John Colfox and Beaminster.

Headteacher Kay Taylor said: “The results are well above the national average and five per cent above the previous year.

“I'm relieved and pleased that all their hard work has paid off; I've have had sleepless nights worrying about the GCSE's this year.

“Many of our students and staff worked really hard so very well done to them.”

Headteacher Mike Best said the results reflected the students' hard work. “There were lots of happy students; in almost half of the subjects taken 40 per cent of students gained A or A* grades and a staggering 78 per cent achieved A grades in GCSE Physics.”

Among the students celebrating were Robyn Edwards who scooped six A*s and four A grades and will be continuing her studies at the school's sixth form.

She said she was 'delighted' and that her grades were better than expected.

Student Josh Buxton got three B grades, five C grades and one E grade and said he was 'happy but relieved'.